AGP Bonding

[searcherrr]

Moderator note - Moved from here: Bonding an above ground pool - Page 2


I would like to ask a really stupid question, because that's what I'm here for (lol), and before I do that, I want to really compliment everyone in this thread for some wonderful information as we just had an above ground pool installed 15'x26' with a wooden deck and plastic ladder (so no touching of metal in and out of the pool).

Stupid question: Ok... so if I do all the work with the #8 wire "everywhere" around the pool etc.. as described in this thread, what is to stop the installed bonding protection from working in REVERSE should the highly unlikely event of lightning striking 5 to 10' from the pool wall and hitting a tree or the ground itself?? In either case (lightning hitting the tree or the ground itself; yeah I know... really unlikely; but just asking for educational purposes) could the electricity of the lightning travel from the #8 grounding system through the ground and back up INTO the pool water??? ..... now I said this was a stupid question... lol... its very unlikely this would happen and even more unlikely people would be swimming during a lightning storm because usually at the sign of this people get out of the pool. I guess I'd have to know how far lightning can travel through "Earth" ground (just dirt in this example).

It just occurs to me though that while the main intent is to protect everyone in the water or "touching the water" that it could be possible for the electricity to also travel the way you don't want it to go in the event of a nearby lightning strike. Sorry if this seems really stupid, but I'd only like to know if its possible however unlikely it is.

 

[banditig]

My neighbors telephone pole was hit by lighting. It dug a trench all the way to their hot tub. Everything plugged in was toast. Hot tub, fridge, tv's ect.

 

[tim5055]

You will be fine. That is the idea of bonding in that everything in/around the pool is at the same potential to ground.

 

[CJadamec]

In theory you are safer in a bonded pool than you would be standing on the ground. Were lightning to strike near the pool. You and everything around you in the pool share the same electrical potential and even though your voltage would get very high briefly no current would flow threw you. Now if your head was above water and you get hit with lightning first you would be toast. Listen to your mom and get out of the pool if you hear thunder and get indoors. Properly bond your pool to prevent the far more likely occurrence of a faulty circuit energizing the pool or surrounding area from hurting you.

 

[gwegan]

In a lighting strike the presence of the bonding system does not make the pool less safe. Whether you are injured by lighting (or any electricity for that matter) is largely a function of chance and the resistance paths around you. If lighting struck and energized the bonding system its doubtful you in the pool would be energized because unlike electricity us humans generate the electricity in a lighting bolt is attempting to go to ground. So only if you are in the direct path of the strike will you be struck. Some may enter the bonding system but that should all go to the least resistance area of the ground near you and will all dissipate within 50 to 100 feet of where it struck. There might be effects on electronics.

You do raise another issue. Modern homes have numerous electronic components and systems. Cable TV and Telephone for example. These all need to be bonded and in most cases grounded. So there are more and more bonding and grounding systems in your home.

One reason that pools use insulated equipment grounding conductors is so that in case of a failure they do not inadvertently energize the bonding system.